By Sarah Ferris, CNN
(CNN) — As one California Democrat prepared to formally endorse Rep. Eric Swalwell for governor this spring, the lawmaker hesitated. They had heard rumors the married father of three slept around in Washington and worried about putting their name behind him in a crucial contest.
This member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, was clear they had not heard about the now-public allegations of criminal sexual assault or relationships with subordinates in Congress, which is a violation of House ethics rules.
But when this member had asked about the rumored infidelity — which Democrats on Capitol Hill widely described to CNN as an “open secret” — they were assured by some of Swalwell’s close friends that all the rumors were “just activities before he was married” and encouraged to formally back him in the race. This person was not alone: Other members also directly questioned Swalwell and his team about what would happen if his history of womanizing in Washington came out publicly, only to be brushed off by his team, another person confirmed.
Weeks later, that California member, along with nearly two dozen others, abruptly withdrew their endorsements as Swalwell faced a torrent of sexual assault and misconduct allegations published by CNN and others.
Swalwell’s downfall was swift. In a remarkable 100 hours, he went from the frontrunner in a race to lead the nation’s most populous state to abandoning his House seat in disgrace. His resignation, effective Tuesday, capped a 13-year congressional career, in which he held coveted party positions and was seen by some as part of a new generation of Democratic leadership.
CNN has reached out to Swalwell’s attorney for this story, but did not receive a response. The congressman has repeatedly vowed to fight what he called “the serious, false allegation made against” him.
His exit from both the governor’s race and Congress was the result of an intense, unusually quick pressure campaign from his fellow Democratic lawmakers — notably led by his one-time mentor, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This bloc of powerful Democrats, the loudest of whom were women, decided to not only immediately sever ties with Swalwell, but to push him out of Congress for good.
And in an extraordinary — and politically advantageous — move, they worked to ensure that Swalwell would not be the only one punished for serious allegations of sexual misconduct inside the US Capitol. Once the party had officially abandoned Swalwell, they set out to make a bipartisan pact with GOP colleagues to ensure the same consequence would befall GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas, who has admitted to having a sexual relationship with a former staffer who later committed suicide.
The whisper network hits Washington
The end of Swalwell’s career came into view a few weeks earlier, as vague mentions of his alleged sexual misconduct surfaced online from well-known TikTokers before any survivors officially came forward.
Those online influencers, who were well-known in some corners of the Democratic Party, hinted at women who were claiming to have suffered from Swalwell’s alleged misconduct, including some who had worked for him. One woman, Cheyenne Hunt, is a lawyer and former Hill staffer who once ran her own campaign for a House seat. Hunt said she helped pursue accountability for Swalwell “because the first victim who approached me is a close friend,” as she posted on X on April 6, days before CNN’s first published account.
But, she said, when she learned of others whose experiences “fit the same pattern of manipulation and abuse of power, I knew I couldn’t stay silent.”
These posts by Hunt and others began popping up in the California delegation’s members-only group chat, acco